Today, as I sit here in front of my computer sipping a cup of tea, listening to the soft pitter-patter of raindrops against my front window, my mind is filled with thoughts of my own mortality… 

I never really thought about it before, but it just occurred to me that, being in my late 30’s, statistically I’ve already lived about half of my life.  Have I even been paying attention to how fast time is flying by?  It’s like someone just showed up out of nowhere and said, “Surprise!  Guess what… your life is half over!” 

(Total bummer).

I find myself wondering where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was graduating from high school, and making great plans for my life; the sky was the limit and I was excited to really start ”living”.

I went to college, set some goals and started planning a career in science. I was going to be a wildlife biologist, or maybe a veterinarian, or maybe even a plastic surgeon.  However, I admit, I got sidetracked and let other people influence my life path. I made some decisions which still cause me, to this day, some sense of regret; I did things I shouldn’t have and didn’t do things I should have. Why is it that hindsight is 20/20?  That just doesn’t seem fair… 

So, where I am now is not where I thought I would be.  I sometimes find myself struggling with the idea of whether or not a higher power is guiding my life.  Whether or not the real reason my plans fell through is because they were not what the Universe had in mind for me.  Instead, maybe I have been guided to exactly where I am at this very moment, to await a plan that has been laid out for me that I just don’t realize yet.  Only time will tell… 

I guess the thing that consumes me the most, though, is whether or not I will have the opportunity to share the life lessons I’ve learned with my children, with hopes they won’t make the same mistakes I’ve made (lessons I will share with you in a later post).  And, if I do share these lessons, will my children even listen? Or will they roll their eyes, thinking they know it all just as I did when I was their age.  I guess all I can do is try… and I need to start trying NOW!  Because, really, you just never know what tomorrow will bring. 

It is my hope that you will take this advice to heart and do the same with your children, if you haven’t already.  If you have older children, talk to them. Don’t “dumb it down”, be real.  Spend some quality one on one time with each child, and ask how he or she feels about the world.  Find out about future plans, hopes, and dreams… don’t always be a dictator in their lives, sometimes just try to be a guide.

And for your own sake, make sure your final wishes have been made known.  Make a will, get some life insurance, and make sure that, in the event you pass away, your family will be taken care of.  I know you probably don’t want to think about it, but you HAVE to!  Inevitably, we all die. Unfortunately, we don’t know when.  If you don’t want to do it for you, then do it for your family.

So sit down, with a cup of tea, write down your most important life lessons and start sharing with your kids.  Then, thank the Universe for the time you’ve had on this Earth, and vow to make the most of whatever time you have left.  You’ll be glad you did.

Being a young kid i was not sure how to approach life, i was tought mostly by my older brother that the coolest thing ever is to be hard core or “gangster”. Mostly through out middle school i acted as if i was hard core or “gangster”. I heart people around me i was dumb and got into fights, disrespected people not only teachers but my fellow pears as well. I felt very alone and scared to show who i acctually was. So i pretended for the longest time that i was someone different someone mean, and sure people gave me respect only because they were afraid of me. My 7th grade year in middle school i started dating this one girl the relationship didn’t last to long but when we were dating she would always tell me about these stories that would happen about a guy hitting on her, because she was very attractive and she would hesitate to tell me these things, and i would finally get something out of her and she would tell me the story but then right after that she would keep repeating: “please dont beat them up!” And all that i could think to myself is that “does she really think that im going to go beat them up?” She said that a lot and i didnt like this because i know that, that person that i was wasnt the person i wanted to be. Me and this girl broke up over the summer going into 8th grade i was pretty broken about it but understood. And it was this summer that changed my whole life!! ……..

TO Be Continued!

Regardless of the powers of the kite, it is necessary that they are thrown into the air before they can gain heights. Therefore, a little bit of encouragement and motivation is enough to make the persons take huge risks of flying in thin air, with just a thin thread of lifeline for them.

2. Make Best Use of Resources:

Kites do not have wings, but they fly in air. They do not have feathers to control the flow of air, but they still navigate through the winds. This is because the kite-flier would know how to make good use of the winds and drafts in not just retaining their object in air, but also to make it go higher than anybody else’.

3. Overcome Shortcomings:

Kites are bound to the ground with the strand of thread. They have tails but cannot control them. They are not live flying creatures with naturally embedded gyroscopes to know which one is upside and right side… and they still make it to the heights and make the heads turn to the skies in awe and happiness. For every shortcoming, there is a great power instilled in each of the beings on earth. Those who find out the unique strength would go places and it requires a little support from those in their social circle as well.

4. Strings Attached:

Regardless of the heights that the kites can fathom, they are still stringed to their owners. Life is beautiful… conditions apply. Learn to handle the conditions and sail through the waters that the life has to offer. There is no free meal in nature and everything has strings attached. Remember… life will be boring otherwise!

5. Take Criticism Constructively:

The kite flier pulls their kite down, not to bring it back to earth, but to encourage the kite to gather more wind and go higher than it earlier was. Similarly, when people take time to give feedback or criticize someone, it has to be understood that that someone is very important to them that they spend their precious time in passing their thoughts. Appreciate the feedback and take criticism positively, without worrying about the intent behind it. The intent would become the teller’s problem if the listener takes it in the right spirit.

6. Stay Connected, Always!

While people tend to fly high in their lives, they would tend to forget their roots easily and would not mind to let go of their old friendships and relationships that they would have nurtured for years, even if it means that they have to lose a marriage over a divorce! What could success bring to those who do not care about the feelings of others? Therefore, just as the kite links itself to their owners through the strings, it is necessary for people to respect and regard all their relationships.

7. Be Flexible, But Never Break:

The sturdy kite would either fall down or break if the gusts of winds are strong enough. It has to show some degree of sturdiness and flexibility to allow the wind to do what it has got to do… lift the spirits of the kite and the altitude as well.

8. Pulled Down, Move Up:

Life will keep throwing challenges and ensure that the persons would stay in their knees as long as they think that they cannot rise up. Imagine being a kite, which is always being pulled down by its owner, but never gives up and keeps gaining better heights always. Similarly, when life pulls down, the persons should emerge hitting higher altitudes than their earlier position.

9. Ask for Help!

Kites may get stuck in trees, but would be rescued by the owners or the passing gusts of winds. Even those that are permanently stuck would become part of the canopy. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that the help is there, if one asks, or else they would be stuck in the branch or the post permanently like a kite!

10. Release or Lose!

The kite owners know that whenever they pull their kites down, they have to let go of some length of the strings to ensure that the kites stay in air. Similarly, parents and mentors should also know when to let go of their children and pupils and what length they can release at a time, since release of too much string also would bring down the kite.

While kite flying is too much fun, one has to notice the things that they can learn by just observing kites. Make use of these lessons and fly free in life and enjoy the wind in the face!

Mirrors are designed to show what comes in front of them, as they are, unless they are made to be a concave or convex mirror to get the desired images. By being selfless and speaking from heart, one would gain lots of respect from others.

2. No Hidden Intentions:

Most people speak what they think others want to listen from them and do not speak what is there in their minds, thereby hiding their true intentions. While it is okay for some professions such as customer care, where one has to conceal their sadness and come out with a smile while serving, it is not good when the intentions that are pushed under the rugs are malicious.

3. Reflect Life:

Mirrors reflect what life offers to them, which could be anything from dirt that settles on them to the huge buildings and trees that are in front of them. However, they do not analyze what the contents are, which is good in terms of going to meet a person or a new arena with an open mind which does not carry any prejudice.

4. Self-Defects:

The person who has a cracked mirror would know that they would not get a proper image out of it. While they realize that it is the mirror’s fault and not the image’s, it is necessary to understand that most of our perceptions are a result of our preconceived notions and not what others do! How can a person be calm if being scolded for coming late by the boss and yell back if their spouse tells them that they are late!

5. Never Carry Junk:

The mirrors show the images of the objects, until they are in front of them. Once the object goes out of sight, the mirror would focus on reflecting the next object. Similarly, the persons should focus on the current affairs and should never carry their pains or agonies from their dark past.

6. Move On:

Once the objects moves out of the line of sight of the mirror, the mirror is busy in reflecting the next scene. Similarly, it is necessary that the person moves on in their lives, without worrying about the past or future!

7. Everybody’s Welcome:

Only a very few objects and persons are able to be warm to everyone and comfortable with everybody without any partiality and mirrors would top that list. While it is important to reflect to others’ thoughts, one has to be nice and wise in putting across their opinions.

8. Background is Important:

Without the mercury surface on the backside of the mirror, the reflections would not be possible. Therefore, even though one races into the future, it is necessary to respect their roots, be it mother tongue, nationality or even their faith systems. It is good to appreciate other elements in society without putting down their own!

9. Shatter, Still Perform:

Break a mirror into 100 tiny pieces and each one would reflect what they can. Similarly, life may come hard into us, but it is crucial to make sure to do what it takes and go that extra mile to help others.

10. Sand Grains to Smooth Glass:

Walk on the beach with bare feed and the grains of sand would cause itching and are very coarse. They even enter into the toe nails to cause irritation to septic infections. However, with the right processes, the same sand grains would become smooth glass materials and therefore it is necessary that the person is flexible to undergo through the tough times of life, with the belief that they are meant to make their life shining and smooth in future.

With some lessons learnt and many more that are hidden under the surface of the mirrors, one can have better quality of life.

“Learning to see life as full of possibilities instead of obstacles”.

That pretty much sums up the last three decades (plus) of my life. 

I have come up with a list of some important life lessons, which I want to share with you today.

I hope to inspire you to do the same. 

Doesn’t matter if you have 20 or 50 things, the point is to have something to look at and say “hey, at least this I know!”

So here we go;

I have discovered that;

1. This life is not a rehearsal. Live it to the full.

Life’s sweetness and innocence can ebb as we get older. We can become  cautious, develop a “been there done that” (and got burnt) kind of attitude. This “growing up” has a way of making us risk-averse, stops us from living life with full-blown sails.

2. You are actually better and smarter than you think you are.

Most of us underestimate ourselves, even go as far as calling it humility. If you take time to know and understand yourself, you will be pretty amazed at the kind of person you are and the kind of things you are capable of doing. It is okay to want to learn from someone but it is not okay to want to be them. You are unique and valuable, with an assortment of skills, gifts and passions that are unique to you. If you never realize that, you will never be of use to yourself, let alone to someone else.

3. Real wealth is not about money.

It’s about living a life of purpose, where all areas of your life (not just financial) are thriving. Its being healthy, enjoying life, having great relationships, doing your part in making your world a better. Money does not buy happiness. You can be pretty joyful without having a coin in your pocket. You get the opportunity to meet the real you when you have zero balance in your account, when walking in great levels of financial discomfort.

4. Life will be tough sometimes. 

I will admit that I do not like adversity. I like being in control, having plenty, being secure in all areas of my life. But I continue to learn how not to run from tough situations. To wait it out,to go through it.

5. You can be of help to someone else, no matter who you are.

You don’t need to be an expert, you only need to care enough and offer what you have. It’s not about what you can give on the outside, but how much you can give of yourself. A kind word, practical help. There are days when you feel like you have nothing, but a smile from you can make the day better for someone else.

6. Opportunity comes dressed real funny.

This has been a great discovery. Many things in my life have been “accidental” (I call them divine set-ups). Like meeting my husband, going into business, to name a few. Opportunity, when it shows us does not always look, smell or taste like it. You can miss it entirely. The answer is to cautiously step into it and begin to explore it, see where it leads. Even if it goes nowhere, atleast you tried it.

7. It is okay to fail. 

But it’s not okay to stay down. Especially mentally.

8. Tears are fine and friendly. 

It’s a girls thing I hear, but guys cry too, though sometimes their tears fall inward. I never really like to cry. But I was broke for long. I struggled to align my life to my purpose. I got married. My husband lost his job (I didn’t have an income either). My dad passed away. And a close friend too. Plenty of reasons to cry. It is okay to express emotion.

9. There is something like too much TV.

And other excesses. Live a fasted life. (It is not as hard as you think)

10. Enjoy the small things and moments of life.

Make conscious effort to live life slow. Be sensitive to the not-too-obvious. See the small things, the beautifull things. 

11. You cannot please everyone.

No matter what you do, how you do it, when you did it, somebody, at some point, will have a problem with it. So you must have tenacity, focus and a big wonderful heart that learns to love people, regardless of how they come packaged. 

12. The best way to correct is to appreciate first.

I am the kind that likes to go straight to the point..especially when offering correction. But I am discovering that there are more palatable ways to do it. For example instead of hammering out what someone has done wrong and how they can do it right,you can affirm what they have done right and suggest they do more of it. (I am signed up to this lesson for life!)

13. Singleness rocks.

I was hopeless in the kitchen, awful in housekeeping, survived on bread, tea and peanuts and the only advice I headed to (on a regular basis) was mine. I pursued career, ministry, fun, short courses, purpose  e.t.c full throttle. Such freedom! You get one shot at single-hood (hopefully). You just cannot mess it up.

14. Marriage will reveal who you really are.

I hear that being a parent brings you face to face with you. I am not there yet But marriage has been my ultimate teacher.

15. Not being in charge is freeing. 

I have been in leadership most of my life. Recently relocated to a new country, I am enjoying a little hiatus from leadership responsibilities. It’s a beautiful thing; to breath, to do some personal development of my own without followers/members peeking in. To enjoy a peaceful, nameless, blissful existence, reveling in “who you are” without “what you do” crowding in. Sabbaticals are good. Learn not to fight it when time comes. 

16. I am not an island

I need anchors – in form of mentors. I need friends. I need my family.

18. Having money is really great.

If you want to know the value of money, go try to borrow some - Benjamin Franklin. Money makes a great servant. It can bring family financial security. It can move mountains (try running a program that depends on donors).

19. Working on my strengths beats focusing on my weakness.

Acknowledge your weaknesses but work on your strengths. That is what gives you a powerful life. 

20. Life is really about giving, not receiving.

There is a a joy and fulfillment that comes from giving which cannot be experienced through any other thing. You don’t need to be an expert, the little you have often suffices.

21. Don’t judge people because you really don’t know what they are going through. 

You don’t know how you would react if you were walking in their shoes. I have discovered that people receive the fieriest trials in their area of calling/purpose. If you have been called to strengthen and build up business people, your own business will probably go through hard times. So don’t judge someone who is struggling in an area which you do not struggle in. You are probably being tested elsewhere.

22. Sometimes the devil is not to blame for the woes in your life. 

 Many times it’s about the choices we make. 

And other times it’s just a result of living in an imperfect world. I contracted chickenpox three days to my wedding. My whole body (including my face) broke out in painful sores, trembled in pain, fever and weakness. About a day to the wedding and as i sat with tears running down my face, I thought to myself, “So if this chickenpox didn’t happen to me, on which other bride would I wish it for?” It was my burden to carry. It helps to look at things in perspective. And carry your lot in life. Makes you stronger and gives you something to encourage others with. 

23. You will not always feel powerful. 

But that doesn’t mean you aren’t. 

It can be in your career, your business, your relationships – those times when are going through hard times and you wonder if all the dreams you had were just loony illusions. It is quite okay to take life one day at a time. 

So, there is my list!

I encourage you to take some time and write some of your life lessons/discoveries. Even if they are only two. Or fifty. 

The effort will be well worth it! You will be simply amazed at some of the things you know, the lessons you have learnt and how these lessons have shaped your life. 

Today was one of those days when I needed to hear #2, #19 and #23 all over again! (told you I was preaching to myself). So writing my life lessons has reminded about where I’ve come from and what I already know!

When the predator kills the prey, is it good because it feeds itself and its family or is it bad because it kills another life? Similarly, when somebody gains something, there would be another somebody who loses. In order to be a first rank holder, one has to be better than tens or scores or hundreds or even thousands of other students, who have lost to that one fellow. Is he a hero or a villain?

Tide is Tide; High or Low:

When there is high tide in one area, the people there may curse it due to the water entering into the shores. On the other side the low tide enables the mudskippers and crabs to come out and enjoy. The same tide is hero on one side and villain on the other, isn’t it?

Duality of Life!

Take a magnet for example. There is a north pole and a south pole. A magnet would not be a magnet without the presence of both boles. Without two poles to keep interacting with each other, there would be no magnetic range, no flux, no electricity and no gravity too! The world would not have been the same!

God or Devil?

Even time a person achieves something spectacular such as winning their dream job, winning a huge project or tender bid, they would have ensured to have created a few losers in their path of success. Though the success may spread flower petals in one’s path, but the flowers are protected by thorns besides them. So if the flowers are God, how come the thorns that protect them can be Devils? One has to be firm enough even to convey the message of peace, otherwise there would be no takers!

Robin Hood or Robin Rude!

With all due respect to the legend, which was a great admiration for all children (including me till date), Robin Hood helped the poor, and is seen as a great person, even equivalent to God. However, isn’t he a Devil, who plucks what the Sheriff had earned due to his talent, power and whatever means?

Light or No Light!

There is nothing called darkness since it cannot be created, but presence of darkness is nothing but the absence of light. Similarly there is no coldness, just the lack of heat. So, just as people want to name lack of brightness as darkness, they have called the negative aspect of life as Devil. Just as one

Grip or Heat?

Look at the friction. Without friction life would be slippery in all aspects. However, friction generates heat and even ensures corrosion due to wear and tear. Can anybody categorize it as good or bad?

Sun Shades or Rain Makers?

If the person hates dark clouds because they hide the beautiful blue sky and the sun, then would they not appreciate the beauty and life that the rain brings along? Without dark clouds that hide celestial artwork, where will the rains come from! So, one has to accept that everything has a reason, even if they are not aware of it.

So, the humble suggestion/message is that it is essential to accept everything in life rather than wasting time in categorizing what is good or bad.

Becoming angry is okay at times, but one needs to get back to their senses immediately and realize that anger never pays, such as the lion did not take heed of his anger and let the mouse go scot free, which actually paid back to him with his life.

2. Show Mercy:

It is important to show mercy on those who are in a position much lesser than oneself, as nobody can judge what can happen in future as tables may turn around and one would be pleading mercy to the same one who plead mercy earlier.

3. Make Friends:

One should never let go of any opportunity to make friends. The best treasure that one can have in their lives is to have as many friends as they can make and as many true ones as possible.

4. There Are No Enemies:

This is a very small world and the whole globe is constantly shrinking due to the various technologies that are linking up people. Moreover, life is too short and precious that one should not waste it by fighting with others and making enemies. It is good to argue and fight with each other, but it is even more important to get over it and become friends again without carrying forward the wrath.

5. Anybody Can Help:

Never ignore anybody as even the smallest of needle will save someone’s pride by stitching up the dress that is torn at the wrong place. The lion did not expect something out of saving the mouse, but good that it did as otherwise people would not have received such a wonderful fable to learn from.

6. Gratitude Always Saves:

It is important to earn others’ gratitude as much as possible by offering help to them voluntarily even before they ask for the same. This will come handy at times when one least expects it as a pleasant surprise.

7. Give Life; Get Life:

Life is all about give and take policy. By giving life to a little mouse, the lion got back its own life and this happens even in the board of chess or corporate games that companies play.

8. Synergy Is Best Power:

One cannot be complete all by themselves, as there would be some shortcomings always. The lion has huge canines and molars, but not the tiny sharp incisors that are required to cut through the nets. By synergistically combining the forces, both creatures could live comfortably well.

9. Nobody is Trivial:

Everybody should be treated equally as this improves the image of the individual as well as makes them feel worthy and this is the best possible motivation to anybody who lives in the real world.

10. Be Grateful:

While it is important to earn others’ gratitude, it is equally essential for one to be grateful for the gifts that they receive and should be in constant lookout for repaying the gratitude in some useful manner.

Simple lessons learnt from such stories can enhance the quality of personal and professional lives.

Regardless of the other person being a partner or a competitor, it is vital that one uses respectful words in addressing anyone.

2. Learn Others’ Strengths:

While it is good to be proud of one’s own strengths, time should be taken to analyze other person’s strengths as well, because there is nobody who is born without strengths and only weaknesses.

3. Everyone Gets Gifts:

It is a simple universal truth that everyone born in this world receives gifts, even if the gifts are not similar to those that others have got. Understanding this would generate lots of respect for others.

4. No Two Gifts are The Same:

While someone may be good at oratorical skills, others may be calm and will be good playwrights and writers. Therefore it has to be understood that nature plays a balancing act to make the whole world a level playing field.

5. Appreciate Uniqueness:

While the actors are required to take the playwright’s work out to their audiences, without the writers in the background, what would they be able to perform? Therefore, it is important to appreciate each other’s uniqueness to combine them synergistically.

6. Work on Relationships:

It is important to fuel the positive relationships so that everyone can be happy and felt important at the same time.

7. Be Kind:

It is important to be kind to everybody and every other creature and non-living things on this planet and even out of the solar system. When one feels that everything is part of themselves, then they would be kind enough to all!

8. Make Allies:

Leaders try not to get people of the same skills throughout their team, so that to get variety of talents that would help their team to flourish well. If there are two people with the same attitude and caliber and accept to each other’s views, then one will soon be deemed redundant.

9. Be Humble:

While humility is a virtue, it can be learnt and practiced to perfection. By being humble, one makes friends and ensures that they are wanted amongst their social circles and become popular as well.

10. Never Boast:

It is not good or wise to go on boasting about oneself, unless the statements are about reality without affecting others in any way.

It is good to be clad like a peacock, but one has to be humble and caring for others as well at the same time. This would make them good citizens who will be appreciated by everyone.

In business or in life, one should be aware of their strengths as well as weaknesses, just as the hare knew that it can run faster, while tortoise relied on its persistence and not speed.

2. Wise Use of Resources:

The hare ran faster and then rested for a while, which led to his loss, whereas the tortoise paced the race and won it at the end. In any projects, it is important to plan and pace the flow properly to ensure that success is attained.

3. Take Risks:

Tortoise has enough common sense to say no to the hare when he called for the race. However, by taking this risk, he won and is appreciated by everyone. Even if he had lost the race, he would have had the satisfaction of challenged someone far better than him in that particular arena and yet have received appreciations.

4. Never Back Down:

Persistent pursuit is the best key to success in any business and the tortoise is the best example, who never backed down until the goal is reached. The hare lost the race because he dropped his arms in the last leg of the race.

5. Never Run Out of Gas!

It is not wise to drop guard any time, like the hare did in the last phase. Alertness and complete awareness of things happening around us is very much required.

6. Perfect Pace Helps:

It is important to speed like a hare and slow down like a tortoise depending on the occasions. The intermittent periods of stress and relaxing would help the person to ensure success.

7. Competitor Intelligence:

It is good to know about the competition, but only the wise will be putting it to best use. Hare and tortoise knew about each other, but the hare overlooked the strength of its contender which is persistence.

8. Mutual Respect:

It is important to compete ethically with mutual respect towards each other even if they would be involved in cut-throat competition. Since the target market is the same, just as the same racetrack, it is important for the players to be ethical and mutually respectful.

9. Self-Confidence, not Over-Confidence:

It is important that the person has self-confidence in themselves such as in the case of tortoise and not over-confidence, because over-confidence tends to destroy while confidence builds!

10. Be Humble, but Strong!

It is not weak to be humble and therefore one has to practice the virtue of humility, even if they are seen to be weaklings. Firmness and toughness do not mean that one has to be arrogant. Though slow, the tortoise is strong with its shell, while the hare may be fragile, but is fast enough to not be caught.

Therefore it is crucial that every story has to be analyzed thoroughly to ensure that the various underlying principles are understood, rather than just mugging up the morals given.

I Believe…

I BELIEVE there are Events that are Life Changing..I’m not talking about the ‘BIG ONES’ – Getting Laid…or Married…or Promoted etc. – all of which, inarguably – are Events with a capital E…I’m talking about Life Changing Events that hardly even make a blip on the Radar at the time…Nothing earth shattering..nothing note-worthy – BUT – somehow – it causes you to stop whatever it is you are doing – Years Later – and say to yourself: ‘WOW – I get that now…I like that…I’m going to apply that to MY Life…MY Philosophy..MY Path..’
A favourite Aunt once told me that there would always be People in the World who had MORE than me…and there would always be People in the World who had LESS than me..and that I should be Happy with what I have.. Being that I was around 11 or 12 years old at the time – I have to assume that my bored, uncomprehending response went something along the lines of: ‘yeh…ok…sure..can I have a Popsicle now?.. SOMEHOW, tho – I have NEVER forgotten it, and it has seeped into the…fiber..of my very Life..It has helped shape me…helped form my priorities…It became a Life Balancing Tool that i strove to instill in my Children…Envy is poison – POISON ENVY – forgive the pun.. Such a mundane Statement…such a huge Lesson for me..Do your personal Best…Try your personal Hardest – but – don’t envy – it’s just a Waste of Time, Energy, and Life..
Here’s Another small personal ‘event’…Did ya hear the One About the Journalist who was doing a Story on a Pair of Identical Twins???… I did – and – once again, it was a ‘Nothing’ that somehow turned into a ‘Something’ in my life… Here’s how the Story goes: Folklore has it that said Journalist was spurred to write said story because of the  vast, gaping Differencenes in the Lifestyles these Identical Twins lived.. One twin was wildly Successful – top of the Proverbial Heap – running a Fortune 100 Business…having the Respect of all he met…Happily Married with Beautiful, Happy Children.. Rich beyond his wildest Dreams – Financially, Socially, Privately, Spritually… His identical Twin, however, was a Homeless, glue sniffing Alcoholic living on the Mean Streets with no known address.. When the journalist finally located the Homeless Brother he had but one question for him:  ‘What Do You Owe Your INCREDIBLE Lifestyle To?’.. His answer was short and simple – ‘What else would you expect….my father was an alcoholic…’When the journalist caught up with the hugely Successful Brother, he asked the identical Question: ‘What Do You Owe Your INCREDIBLE Lifestyle To?’.. This Brother’s answer was short and simple: ‘What else would you expect..my father was an alcoholic…’ One person’s excuse is another’s Motivation…hmmmm…. This little ditty also stuck with me..
Remember – FREE THINKING IS FREE!!